The Childcare Offer in the Vale of Glamorgan

Your Childcare Offer

The Childcare Offer funds nursery education and childcare for 3 to 4-year olds, before they start full-time education. It is made up of:

Eligible parents can still use the childcare funding if they choose not to take up the 12.5 hours of nursery education.  However, childcare hours funded through the Childcare Offer do not increase if a parent does not use their nursery education entitlement.

Childcare Funding Eligibility Criteria

You can apply for the childcare funding if:

• You live in the Vale of Glamorgan. You must apply through the Local Authority in which you live;  
• Your child is 3 to 4 years old. Please go to the table below for eligibility dates;
• You are a student in Higher or Further Education enrolled on a course that is 10 weeks long or more

        OR

• You are employed or self-employed and you earn at least:
  • £152 per week if you are 23 years old or older
  • £146.88 per week if you are 21-22 years old 
  • £109.28 per week if you are 18-20 years old

(these rates are based on 16 hrs per week at the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage for April 2022-March 2023 and will change annually)

• You earn less than £100, 000 gross, per year, per parent.  If either parent earns over £100,000 gross, per year, you will be ineligible for the Childcare Offer.

You will need to upload the following supporting documents to your application: 

• Your child’s birth certificate; 

• Evidence of your address, e.g. your most recent Council tax letter; 

• Your most recent 3 months of payslips if you are employed;

• Your most recent self-assessment tax return if you are self-employed;

• An enrolment letter/confirmation of a place in Further or Higher education.

You will need to upload eligibility evidence for both parents if you are a two-parent family.

Please note:

• The term ‘parent’ refers to parents, legal guardians, step-parents, adoptive parents, foster carers, guardians, kinship carers, carers with a Special Guardianship Order and long-term live-in partners who live within the same household as the child.  

• Parents currently on maternity/paternity/parental/adoption leave can apply for the Childcare Offer if they meet the above eligibility criteria. 

• In a single-parent family, the above eligibility criteria apply to the sole parent.   

• In a two-parent family the above eligibility criteria apply to both parents.   

• Parents can access Tax-Free Childcare, Tax Credits or Universal Credit at the same time as the Offer, for any additional hours of childcare they pay for in respect of their child or for other children in the family. Visit the Childcare Choices website for further information.

Exceptions to the Eligibility Criteria: 

• In a two-parent family where one parent meets the eligibility criteria and the other parent receives specific benefits, you could be eligible for the Childcare Offer in some circumstances.  Please contact us for further information on the eligible benefits. 

• Parents who are in education or training and have formally suspended their studies due to long term sickness could still be eligible for the Childcare Offer. 

• Parents who are employed/self-employed but who are temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick leave could still be eligible for the Childcare Offer.

Childcare Funding: When is my child eligible?

Children with Additional Needs

If your child has additional needs and you are eligible for the Childcare Offer we may be able to fund training for childcare providers, additional childcare staffing, specialist equipment, or physical adjustments to childcare provision.  You can tell us that your child might have additional needs on your Childcare Offer application.

You may also be interested in our Index for Children with Disabilities or Additional Needs

How to apply 

In order to use the Childcare Offer you must choose a childcare provider that is both registered with the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and registered to provide the Childcare Offer within the Vale. The Offer will allow children to access a maximum of two registered childcare settings in addition to their Foundation Phase Nursery setting in any given day. During the holiday period a child may therefore access a maxium of two registered settings under the Offer. 

Please see the list below to view all childcare settings that are registered to provide the Childcare Offer for Vale residents. Even if your child attends an out-of-county setting you may be eligible to access Childcare Offer funding if you are a resident within the Vale of Glamorgan. If your chosen setting does not appear on the list below please make contact with us. 

Looking for childcare?

Search for childcare, activities for children and family support services in the Vale using the new Childcare Information Wales directory, this includes settings that are registered to provide the Childcare Offer. Simply select your childcare category to get started. Once selected you can enter your postcode in the 'locations' tab and use the 'facilities' tab to filter your results further by ticking 'Childcare Offer' or 'Wrap around care' for example. If you intend for your child to attend Foundation Phase Nursery use the 'School and other pickup' tab to search for childcare settings that provide wrap around care to your chosen school. 

Alternatively you can contact us directly about your childcare needs by completing our online enquiry form. All data will be stored in line with data protection regulations, as set out in the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Privacy Notice. 

Making your application 

All applications for the Childcare Offer must be made online via the CEMP database. All Childcare Offer applications for Vale residents are procesed by Newport City Council however should you require any information or support with your application please contact the Vale Family Information Service in the first instance. 

If you need any help with your Childcare Offer application, please contact the Vale Family Information Service on: 

• 01446 704704
• fis@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Contact details

Vale Family Information Service (FIS)

Dock Offices

Subway Road

Barry

Vale of Glamorgan

CF63 4RT

• 01446 704704
• fis@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

• @VOGFIS

• @VALEFIS